All students in the MA in WRD program will complete a Proseminar course, Portfolio course, and three courses focused on rhetoric and discourse. In addition, students may complete a concentration in Teaching Writing & Language or Professional & Technical Writing, or they may choose to take courses in any area of the curriculum.
Proseminar and Portfolio courses:
Near the beginning of their time in the program, students will enroll in a Proseminar course (WRD 500), which provides an overview to the field of writing, rhetoric, and discourse. At the end of their program, students will complete a Portfolio course (WRD 599), during which they will revise and reflect on work completed throughout the program while preparing a portfolio of work for their future careers.
Rhetoric and Discourse:
Courses in this category explore major issues and theoretical perspectives in the field of writing, rhetoric, and discourse. In these courses, students examine rhetorical and discourse theory from the perspectives of history, identity, culture, and global developments, and they attend to rhetoric and discourse through the systematic study of language and how people use it. The courses in this area will provide theoretical and historical insights that support student learning within more specialized courses in Professional & Technical Writing and Teaching Writing & Language.
Professional & Technical Writing:
Courses in this concentration prepare students to write effectively in business, non-profit, and technical contexts, such as technical writing, web writing, grant writing, and document design. Practical applications focus on the management of complex information on technical subject matter for diverse audiences while also emphasizing the utility of a critical stance toward writing technologies and workplace culture.
Teaching Writing & Language:
Courses in this concentration raise issues pertinent to the teaching of writing and language, college composition, ESL writing and learning, and writing program administration. Students interested in teaching and tutoring are guided to ask challenging pedagogical questions that help them to become competent and reflective post-secondary practitioners. Courses ask students to write in numerous genres relevant to pedagogical contexts, including syllabi, lesson plans, classroom materials, and academic papers.
